Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-07
LENT A WELCOME RELIEF.
SOCIAL DUTIES AT WASHING-
TON FAR FROM STNECURES.

Second Term--The Dresses OF the
season--Japs Fleeced by n Card Sharp.
WASHINGTON, March 6.--Lents fhan-
guration was welcome relief to many
women here who are burdened with ths
duty of playing prominent parts In ths
social world. The season was an unex-
pectedly brilliant one, and the exactions
on the time and physical endurance OF
the women who have borne the bruut o6
II have been very heavy. Mrs. Cleveland
made the White House the scene Of more
brilliant events than the wife Of any of
the previous Presidents. The White
House receptions in past years.
were the tamest sort Of affaii>'
as compared with those OF theppasT sea-
son. The present season of repose wilk
be heartily relished at the White House
which has been in a state OF csntusi0ni
for the last six weeks with one consHr
uous round of receptions, state dinne.s
and all that sort OF thing. Mrs. Cleye3
land has done her duty in delightful
| manner, and despite all this work, so To-
/ speak, she is as fresh and radiant as
when she stood blooming bride last
June. However large the crowdss
or however ugly the weather sha
| always had a pleasant word
and sweet smile for every one presented
| to her. No better proof OF the amiability
| Of her disposition could be asked than
that furnished by the statement that she
has shaken hands with 10000 persons
since the season opened. Dec. last. She
Will take advantage OF this placid spelk
| to pay "a few calls among intimate friends
end will pass much OF her time at Oak
View in the company of her mother!
Mrs. Folsom will continue to hold her
| Wednesday receptions In an informal
way. Mrs. Cleveland Will also be-
| enabled to resume her reading, OF which
| she is very fond, and to catch up with
her private correspondence, which is OF
| considerable magnitude. She has already
| begun a course OF reading and study, res
| turning to the latter with all the interest
| of her school days. She is renewing her
| French, taking lessons from local pro-
| fessOr, and Is an industrious and careful
student, finding the lenses and genders
| just as hard to remember now as the lady
| of the White House as they were couple
of years since in her college days. The
| fact that she welcomes truce from tha
social exactions incident to her position
| need not imply that she Is weary OF being
| the first lady in the land. On the cons
trary, it is well understood among her
| friends that she likes the distinction and
does not take pleasure in looking
| forward to the time when she will have
to relinquish it. That this should be the
case is only natural, all things consid-
| cred. Mrs. Cleveland is young, hands
some and ambitious, and appreciates the
| fact that the prominence OF her present
| position, added TO the other qualities
mentioned, makes her lot In one sense tho
most enviable in the United States. That
she should be decidedly In favor OF a
second term for her husband, therefore, is
not TO be wondered at. Report says that
even the closest friends of the President
have not ventured to talk with him ah3ut
second term. They fear, knowing his
| stubbornness Of nature, that he mighE
take the notion TO quit the course, be-
cause in his original letter of acceptance
he advocated constitutional provisiolO ,
against reelection. They have not been
afraid, however, to approach Mrs. Cleve-
land on the subject, aad they were not
mistaken In their surmises. She makes
] no denial OF the fact that she hopes the
President will be reelected, and those in
position to know say that she can be de-
| pended on to use all her powers Of per.
| suasion to influence him to permit his
name to go before the people for a re-
nomination, and with every good
Democrat and many men Of
other political afiiiation as well.
equivalent to reelection. Mrs Cleve-
lands admissions are, of course, made
with the frank candor OF youth and the
| ardor arising from an abundance Of ami
NAL life, but diplomatic discretion is not
| entirely lacking. She is careful not tc-be
too frank with everybody, and aDsorbs a
| great deal more than she gives out. The
ladies who frequent Mrs. Cleveland's
parlors and talk to her in a more or less
| confidential way, say that the artlessnesa
which characterized her entry into the
White House has taken the form OF diplo-
matte cunning, and that IL the President
does not receive good deal of sensible
AdViCa from hia vyt a rntiffaa nj
matters OF State they will be greatly dis.
appointed. They say she is the best abb
| sorber OF public opinion OF any lady
in the circle of the Cabinet.
She sees everything, hears every-.a
thing, and II she is like most women
she reports to her husband all that will
be OF advantage TO him. Undoubtedly
Mrs. Cleveland is playing an important
| part In the events which are making up
the future OF the President, and which
will lead him to success or defeat next
year. she Is young and inexperienced,
but those who know her best say she has
good discernment and is the most apt
pupil in political economy and matters of
state they have ever seen. Her influence
! over the President Is well illustrated
| in the way In which she has
induced him In a measure to shake of his
inclination to avoid publicity, both in
tie White House and outside of it. Re-
| ments used 10 be terrible bore to him,
but his wife has introduced him into the
notion so thoroughly during the present
season that he would probably mjsat tAair
excitement If he was TO be sutoc RolE-
barred from them now. Taken alfAfff ali.
IL Is doubtful whether the season at the
White House has ever been gayer than
The one now closing, and whether any
President has had better help-meet in
the person OF his wife.
BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. (LsA
Washington is unusually fu}Sf3 Seau-
tiful women this winter A5i6&e who
ought to know say there have never be-
fore been so manyhandsome women here
at one time. The South liz we'll repre-
sented In the person Of Mrs. Clement G..
Clay, who, before the war, as the wife OF
the Senator from Alabama and as a wo-
man OF wit and fashion, led society az
Mrs. Gen. Ricketts, does now. In appear
ance Mrs. Clay Is distinguished, tall,
ample In figure, with an intellectual
head and good features. She has re-
markably keen eye aud very expressive
nose-straight. with well.opened nostrils
that dilate and culver. Her conversa-
tional powers are uncommon, and
her talk bristles with epigrams,
bright nnOfatioua M hos